Michael Kubecki is Director of Emergency Operations at Allegheny Health Network. He is also a relative of two transplant recipients.
As Forbes Hospital kicked off National Donate Life Month Tuesday, Kubecki spoke in front of a group of his colleagues about how transplants saved his brother's life and extended his father's.
"There are angels among us because somebody took the time to fill out the information, talk to their family members and let them know that this is their final wishes," Kubecki said of organ donors.
AHN starts National Donate Life Month each year with a flag raising ceremony.
The event aims to honor donors, celebrate transplant recipients and encourage the public to register as organ donors.
Forbes Hospital president Dr. Mark Rubino says one donor can provide up to eight organ transplants and up to 75 tissue transplants.
"It's the donation of life," he said. "We have so many people that are on wait lists for organ donation, for tissue donation."
With more than 110,000 people awaiting organ transplants in the United States, Rubino encouraged the public to research being an organ donor and discuss it with their families.
"People are always worried that maybe a life-saving event may not be made if that person's an organ donor," he said. "That is absolutely not the case. They need to know that there's safety in this and there's also respect."
Pittsburgh became known as a transplant leader in the late 60's when Dr. Henry Bahnson performed Pennsylvania's first heart transplant in Pittsburgh.
Register to be a donor on the Donate Life America website.